Cigarette cause of massive fire in Marshalls

A fire in the Marshall Islands on Friday that wiped out one Majuro business and caused severe damage to two others, is believed to have been caused by a cigarette.

The manager of the Skyline Enterprises restaurant, Labao Fernando, says it appears to have started in the apartment of a woman who, neighbours say, had been smoking.

The fire quickly spread, causing heavy damage to the offices of G&L Enterprises and a clothing retail store it operated next door, as well as the three-story Kitco Apartments, which sustained heavy damage.

No one was seriously hurt in the fire.

The company was not insured, but is already moving to set up its office and re-establish a restaurant in another section of Majuro where it has property.